The prior art includes devices for transferring eggs. For example, such a device has been described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,691 to Mosterd. This patent discloses a device for transferring eggs from a feeding chain provided with egg supporting means adapted to support rows of eggs with their axes horizontally, driving means for said chain to move it in a direction transverse to said rows, a first group of retaining members each of which is adapted to receive and grip one egg of each row with its axis horizontal and is provided with means to rotate said egg into a position in which its axis is vertical and a series of second retaining members mounted to a conveyor, such that the second retaining members move along a predetermined path the one behind the other.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,154 to Vander Schoot discloses an egg transfer system in which eggs, supplied in rows on feeding chains, are rotated with their points down by means of diverging plates. The eggs are then received in first retaining members and from these transferred to second retaining members moving in a line behind one another. These first retaining members do not rotate the eggs and the eggs are not positively held when rotated between the diverging plates.
It is remarked that the U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,709 to Banyas et al shows an apparatus for transferring objects from one station to another. In this apparatus two conveyors with retaining members are present, which conveyors define paths in which part of the retaining members are vertically aligned. The conveyed objects are transferred from the retaining members of the first conveyor to those of the second conveyor in the said part of the conveyor paths. None of the retaining members is able to carry out a tilting movement and the transfer is realized by means of suction cups provided with control means to admit vacuum. Such a means are mechanically controlled by the objects to be transferred. It is severely doubted whether this construction can be used when the objects to be transferred are eggs if one wants to avoid breakage or slight damages that later on reduce the egg's quality.